So what's the secret to optimal health?

Well it turns out there isn't just one secret, but 13!!  

The 100% health survey found that individuals with optimal health followed the following 13 rules.  As a reminder, the survey wasn't based on cause and effect but simply association between diet and health.  However the results are all in line with conventional nutritional wisdom and so worth following.  I've covered a few of these in my previous blogs, but here's the complete list (my comments in italics).  

Have a think about which of these you aren't even close to doing, and how you could implement them ... implement these steps one at a time, incorporating them as a genuine day to day habit ... and you should soon feel the benefits:

1.  Eliminate sugar-based snacks or limit to very occasional use (chocolate bars, cakes, biscuits etc). I’d interpret very occasional as once a week

2.  Avoid adding salt to your food

3.  Reduce wheat consumption to a maximum of 1 serving per day (bread, pasta, pizza etc.) Avoid totally if intolerant or allergic.

4.  Avoid adding sugar to food or drinks

5.  Reduce diary product consumption to a maximum of 1 serving per day. Avoid totally if intolerant or allergic.

6.  Eliminate tea, coffee and cola consumption or limit these to very occasional use. Substitute with green or herbal teas.

7.  Reduce consumption of refined foods (white bread, flour and rice etc.) to a maximum of 1 serving per day. Substitute with wholegrain, unrefined alternatives – wholemeal bread and pasta, brown rice or brown rice pasta, oats and rye).

8.  Minimise the consumption of restaurant and processed meals

9.  Reduce the consumption of red meat to a maximum of 2 servings per week, particularly those already in poor digestive health

10.  Increase consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables to a combined total of 8-10 servings a day

11.  Increase consumption of oily fish to 3 servings per week

12.  Increase consumption of water to 8 glasses per day (approx 1.5 litres)

13.  Increase consumption of fresh, raw seeds and nuts to 3 servings a day.  A serving for nuts or seeds is a small palmful.